Williams Sonoma under $100

16 years ago

I received a gift certificate to Williams Sonoma from a friend, but am too overwhelmed to decide what to purchase with it. Do I get a lot of little things, or do I splurge and get something expensive? Some of the things I've been thinking about are the Calphalon all in one pasta/steamer stock pot, a nice mortar and pestle, or a pan that can go from the stovetop to the oven, because currently I don't have anything like that. What would you do? Other ideas?

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Comments (9)

beanthere_dunthat
16 years ago
I'd get something I know I would use often, but have been reluctant to buy for myself. To me, the best thank you for a gift is that the person really does use it.

I have a pasta/steam/stock pot, and it does get a LOT of use.
cooperbailey
16 years ago
Oooh, I want one!! If it were me, and I have been perusing and drooling over the WS catalog lately,I would go for a "big thing". I often buy little things but I never splurge on the big thing. It's a gift! treat yourself big!
Go for it! Sue
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You have a knife that you love. Give it a wooden cutting board big enough to be easy to work on, a steel or sharpener to keep its edge, and a nice block or magnetic strip to store it in/on. Then keep cooking and check your spreadsheet as you feel the need of something here or there. You have a minimalist heart, so I would avoid something big, expensive, and only intermittently useful like a food processor. I've cooked for forty years without one, happily. Likewise, a Vitamix is overkill unless you often make drinks or smoothies that require finely crushing ice cubes. But you'll take my immersion blender from my cold, dead fingers! If it has a whisk and chopping attachment, it can: whip egg whites, make whipped cream, make hummus, nut butters, pesto, chopped liver, and puree soups. SO much easier to get out, use, clean, and store than a stand blender! Things I use a lot from W-S that have lasted well and been well worth the $: the set of three mesh footed colanders with handles, waffle-weave white towels for drying (15 years and still going!), an OXO digital scale (not discounted anywhere, so might as well get it from W-S), and a 3-qt All-Clad saucepan with the handled steamer insert (which turns out to be perfect for making couscous the traditional way as well as steaming veg). A big silicon spoonula is about my favorite utensil -- much more heat resistant than rubber spatulas, cuts way down on cleaning needed for bowls and pots, cuts way down on waste when transferring from one vessel to another. Big-ticket items that are super versatile: Dutch oven, wide shallow two-handled braiser (which can be used, lidless, to roast and bake, in addition to one-pot prep of things like short ribs and braised chicken w/veg). This is a nice braiser: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/all-clad-tri-ply-stainless-steel-braiser-with-rack/ that will be easier to handle than an enameled cast iron one, but those have the advantage of being attractive enough to use for serving. Have fun!
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centralcacyclist
16 years ago
Go big! Get that item you wouldn't get for yourself because it seems too extravagant.
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
16 years ago
I would add another hundred to it and buy the staub pumpkin pot...I've been wanting that since last year. It's gorgeous and you'll have it forever.
Carol Schmertzler Siegel
16 years ago
Definitely go big! I used my W-S gift card on a Cuisinart Bread machine! or Le Creuset something! Go big and buy something you normally wouldn't splurge on, have fun!
ninos
16 years ago
If you have about $10 to spare after you bought your big item i recommend the Pecan Pumpkin Butter. It is the best pumpkin butter i have ever tasted. I enjoy serving it with crackers and a dollop of fresh cream. They have recipes to use it breads. However i love it by itself. Enjoy your GC. WS is one of my favorite stores.
3katz4me
16 years ago
I had that SAME problem - glad to hear it's not just me. I splurged on a few things (and got some gifts) after I got a new kitchen a couple years ago so I didn't really need anything big. I went in there about five times before I finally bought something. I had $80 - so far I bought a nice pepper mill and that Pumpkin Butter. The pepper mill was something I really wanted and needed and that I thought would remind me of the friends who gave me the GC on my 50th b-day. They were giving out samples of cake made with the pumpkin butter and I just succumbed after tasting it. I couldn't bring myself to buy a few gadgets with the remainder - when I knew I could buy similar at a much lower price. So I still have to go back and figure out something else.....
vicki_lv_nv
16 years ago
I post this very query a while back and got some wonderful ideas. I opted for another Shun knife. I have a dozen or so already, but didn't have a bread knife. I added a few bucks to the gift certificate to get it. I would also suggest the Pecan Pumpkin Butter. Oh my heck...it is sinful...right out of the jar from a spoon. Their pasta sauces are pretty good too. Enjoy spending!
sheshebop
16 years ago
I had this same dilemma. I had a gift cert for more than a year before I used it. I thought about getting one of those beautiful hammered copper pots with the acorns on the handles, but I needed a swap gift for our greed game at PFPP in Tennessee, so I got the mini pumpkin muffin tins, the gorgeous brown ceramic loaf pan with the pumpkin shaped top, and some of the mixes. As a matter of fact, Everything that I bought for my swap I also bought for myself, LOL. I agree that the pumpkin butter is fabulous.
However, I say go for a big thing that you might not buy without the added help of a gift cert. Have fun with it! It is my favorite store also. BTW, I also was very tempted by the Staub pumpkin pot. They had it marked down on sale when I was there, but I didn't get it. Boo Hoo.

Williams Sonoma under $100

Comments (9)

beanthere_dunthat

cooperbailey

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